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[greglyon]

When I am not using the GPS I'd like to remove it and the mount from the bike.  (Using the pinch bolt techmount)  As you know the harness is hard wired in the fairing connecting the audio, mic, and power.  The usb is not in use nor do I anticipate I will ever use it.

Can the harness be cut and a quick disconnect be installed?  If anybody has done this sure would appreciate some pointers as well as a parts list.  I read the thread detailing Merlini's quick disconnect  but was hoping for a less complicated solution.  Thanks   

[16HD117]

When I am not using the GPS I'd like to remove it and the mount from the bike.  (Using the pinch bolt techmount)  As you know the harness is hard wired in the fairing connecting the audio, mic, and power.  The usb is not in use nor do I anticipate I will ever use it.

Can the harness be cut and a quick disconnect be installed?  If anybody has done this sure would appreciate some pointers as well as a parts list.  I read the thread detailing Merlini's quick disconnect  but was hoping for a less complicated solution.  Thanks   

If you could mount the car cradle to your RAM mount instead of motorcycle cradle to RAM you could remove both.  Of course you would have to run the car harness in place of the m/c cradle harness.  I'm assuming you bought the Garmin 660, not the Harley 660.  Don't think the HD 660 comes with the car cradle.  If you have the HD you can buy the car cradle from Garmin.

[greglyon]

If you could mount the car cradle to your RAM mount instead of motorcycle cradle to RAM you could remove both.  Of course you would have to run the car harness in place of the m/c cradle harness.  I'm assuming you bought the Garmin 660, not the Harley 660.  Don't think the HD 660 comes with the car cradle.  If you have the HD you can buy the car cradle from Garmin.

I have the HD 660 which comes with a car harness to supply power only.  I need the motorcycle harness to get the audio and mic thru the headset

[naitram]

i opted to use a techmount so that the cradle was not quickly removed. i figured with it hard wired no point in making it removable

[greglyon]

i opted to use a techmount so that the cradle was not quickly removed. i figured with it hard wired no point in making it removable

I like the clean look of the handlebars when the unit is off.  Quick disconnect of power audio and mic would make removal a snap.

[naitram]

you could do that but what would you do this this bundle of wires while its on the bike?

[greglyon]

I am talking a road glide so the mess goes in the fairing. I would have the disconnect where the wires exit the fairing. Your se roadking presents more of a problem...   

[naitram]

i guess i'm missing something obvious here, but thats about 6 feet of cable if its easily removeable how could it be hidden in the fairing and have the connections accessible to disconnect?

[greglyon]

Option 1 cut at the place all cables go from handlebar to where they tuck into fairing.  mount quick disconnect there and be prepared to cut wire ties every time you wish to remove from bike.

Option 2 install a plug like a powerlet that would house all necessary wires on handlebar closest to fairing.
 

[mjb765]

I used a multi-pin connector to make a quick disconnect by cutting the main harness to the cradle. For some reason I can't get the audio to work--power works fine but it just does not see the audio out plug connected to the radio. I cut one wire at a time to isolate the 5 (4 plus another ground) wires for the external audio and everything worked fine until I installed the plug. I got tired of playing with it so I left it as a quick disconnect for power. It works fine and I listen to the XM built into the radio. Maybe someday I will get bored enough to work on it again.

[greglyon]

I used a multi-pin connector to make a quick disconnect by cutting the main harness to the cradle. For some reason I can't get the audio to work--power works fine but it just does not see the audio out plug connected to the radio. I cut one wire at a time to isolate the 5 (4 plus another ground) wires for the external audio and everything worked fine until I installed the plug. I got tired of playing with it so I left it as a quick disconnect for power. It works fine and I listen to the XM built into the radio. Maybe someday I will get bored enough to work on it again.

I am going to wire the Zumo into the factory radio and intercom.  Thus, I need mic as well as audio and power.  When you get it right, and I am sure you will, please post for all to see.

[mjb765]

I am going to wire the Zumo into the factory radio and intercom.  Thus, I need mic as well as audio and power.  When you get it right, and I am sure you will, please post for all to see.

Not to disappoint....but it ain't happening this season.......maybe next winter. Since I don't use the GPS that much, it won't bother me too bad. But if I ever do figure it out, you will be the first to know.

[mrmagloo]

I took apart the 660 cradle and contemplated doing the same. The 12v and ground is separated and easy to see, but the rest takes some sorting to figure out.

Have you considered contacting Garmin Tech's for the wiring schematic? They might be willing to share this.

[greglyon]

I took apart the 660 cradle and contemplated doing the same. The 12v and ground is separated and easy to see, but the rest takes some sorting to figure out.

Have you considered contacting Garmin Tech's for the wiring schematic? They might be willing to share this.

You read my mind.  I contacted them and received a prompt reply, NO.  They regard the info as proprietary
and will not disclose a schematic describing what their wires do or go.

[mrmagloo]

Hmm, that's downright hostile!   

If you have the other end of the harness still, you can probably figure it out pretty easily. Obviously, you know what the connectors are for, so it's just a matter of removing the insulation to each connector to confirm and label.

[greglyon]

yes your right, just pissed  me off their "national security" type blanket thrown over this question that would have in no way compromised any trade secrets

[mjb765]

I removed the insulation and found which audio wires I needed. But then for some reason when it goes through the quick disconnect it is losing something. I am thinking the disconnect I used may have wiring that is too small and not signaling the GPS that it is connected to an external audio source. Just a guess.....

[1abastarsmda]

When I am not using the GPS I'd like to remove it and the mount from the bike.  (Using the pinch bolt techmount)  As you know the harness is hard wired in the fairing connecting the audio, mic, and power.  The usb is not in use nor do I anticipate I will ever use it.

Can the harness be cut and a quick disconnect be installed?  If anybody has done this sure would appreciate some pointers as well as a parts list.  I read the thread detailing Merlini's quick disconnect  but was hoping for a less complicated solution.  Thanks    

I know this reply isn't really in line with the rest, but why do you want to take your GPS off the bike?  I never go anywhere without my GPS, since it's also my "jukebox".  I never listen to anything else on the bike when I can have a 1000 song library to choose from on one SD card.  On your 660, you can get even more music on one card.  It seems like you are going to go through an awful lot of work to do this and it would be a real pain to me to have to keep reinstalling it.  Just saying...  To modify this post, I just noticed that you also posted a question about loading mp3's onto your Zumo, so you may not yet know how nice it is to have that mounted all the time.  I have a 550, but my friend has a 660 and loaded about 1500 songs in the best quality on an 8GB mini SD card for him.  I believe you can use a higher capacity card than the 8GB also, and if you want to take the quality down a few notches (which you likely won't notice), you could probably get about 4000 songs on a 16GB card.  You could probably take a multi-month trip and never listen to the same song twice.

[mjb765]

I know this reply isn't really in line with the rest, but why do you want to take your GPS off the bike?  I never go anywhere without my GPS, since it's also my "jukebox".  I never listen to anything else on the bike when I can have a 1000 song library to choose from on one SD card.  On your 660, you can get even more music on one card.  It seems like you are going to go through an awful lot of work to do this and it would be a real pain to me to have to keep reinstalling it.  Just saying...  To modify this post, I just noticed that you also posted a question about loading mp3's onto your Zumo, so you may not yet know how nice it is to have that mounted all the time.  I have a 550, but my friend has a 660 and loaded about 1500 songs in the best quality on an 8GB mini SD card for him.  I believe you can use a higher capacity card than the 8GB also, and if you want to take the quality down a few notches (which you likely won't notice), you could probably get about 4000 songs on a 16GB card.  You could probably take a multi-month trip and never listen to the same song twice.

But when you have your XM in the radio, you don't need to take the GPS everywhere you go. Personally, I don't even like having the bottom of the mount on the bars or dash, much less the entire cradle when it is not in use. I only use mine on long trips.

[1abastarsmda]

But when you have your XM in the radio, you don't need to take the GPS everywhere you go. Personally, I don't even like having the bottom of the mount on the bars or dash, much less the entire cradle when it is not in use. I only use mine on long trips.

I got rid of my XM because I was only using it on long trips.  The thing I didn't like about the XM was that it cut out too much when I rode with hills on each side of the road and sometimes in the middle of downtown being surrounded by tall buildings.  It was fine on the open highway, but just in and out too much on the back roads around here.  But then I think I've kind of headed this thread in the wrong direction with my post.  Sorry, didn't mean to hi-jack the topic.

[greglyon]

Having  xm is the reason for wanting the quick disconnect of the zumo.  I too like the clean look of the handlebars without the gps harness.  I have the factory xm module with the antenna mounted outside the fairng.  As a result I can listen to my xm inside my garage with the door down.  I have had only one instance when the xm dropped out and that was when I was in Oregon riding on a road lined with 100 foot trees within 10 feet of the road on each side.  It was so beautiful, I didn't miss the xm.